Semi-automatic pressing rivet goods shelf work station

Abstract

The invention discloses a semi-automatic press riveting goods shelf workstation which comprises an equipment body, an automatic press riveting machine, a suction cup assembly, a collaborative robot, a feeding workbench, an equipment body, a discharging workbench and a safety fence assembly, the equipment body is fixed to the flat ground through expansion bolts, and an electric control cabinet is installed in the equipment body; the feeding workbench and the discharging workbench are consistent in structure and symmetrically arranged on the two sides of the equipment body. The safety fence assembly is formed by welding square steel in an enclosing mode. According to the method, the IIMT-CR20 collaborative robot is adopted to be matched with the preset coordinate for positioning, the riveting point position alignment precision is smaller than or equal to 0.25 mm, compared with existing manual alignment based on vision and experience (usually, the error is larger than or equal to 2 mm), the precision is improved by more than 8 times, the problems of riveting point deviation, dislocation and the like are effectively avoided, it is ensured that the goods shelf riveting structure strength is uniform, and the product quality is improved. The stability of goods shelf products is remarkably improved, the service life of the goods shelf products is remarkably prolonged, and the rework rate caused by the riveting quality problem is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of machining equipment technology, specifically a semi-automatic riveting rack workstation. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of shelving production and processing, riveting is a key process to ensure the structural strength of shelving. Currently, the mainstream shelving riveting operation in the industry mostly adopts a manual-assisted processing mode. Its core operating principle is: the operator manually lifts the shelving to be processed, aligns the preset riveting points on the shelving with the riveting station of the riveting machine, and then starts the riveting machine to complete the riveting of a single point. After that, the operator manually adjusts the position of the shelving to align with the next riveting point, and repeats the above operation until all riveting points are processed.

[0003] Existing technical solutions suffer from several insurmountable drawbacks in practical applications: 1. Riveting accuracy is difficult to guarantee. Because manual lifting of the shelving makes it impossible to stably control its posture, and alignment relies entirely on visual perception and experience, problems such as riveting point misalignment and displacement easily occur, directly leading to poor riveting results and affecting the structural stability and service life of the shelving. 2. Significant safety hazards exist. Operators must work continuously near the riveting machine's operating area. The riveting action is sudden and impactful; any operational error or equipment malfunction can easily cause mechanical injury to the operator. 3. Low production efficiency and high labor intensity. Some shelving units to be processed can weigh over 10kg. Prolonged manual lifting and adjustment of the shelving position can quickly fatigue operators, further reducing riveting accuracy and stability, and resulting in longer riveting times for individual shelving units, hindering production efficiency and failing to meet the demands of large-scale mass production. Therefore, a semi-automatic riveting shelving workstation is proposed. Summary of the Invention

[0004] (a) Technical problems to be solved

[0005] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a semi-automatic riveting rack workstation, which solves the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0006] (II) Technical Solution

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solution: a semi-automatic riveting rack workstation, including a machine body, an automatic riveting machine, a suction cup assembly, a collaborative robot, a loading workbench, a unloading workbench, and a safety fence assembly. The machine body is fixed to a flat ground by expansion bolts, and an electrical control cabinet is installed inside the machine body.

[0008] The loading and unloading worktables have the same structure and are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the equipment body;

[0009] The safety fence assembly is formed by welding square steel, and the inner side of the safety fence assembly forms a closed working space. A safety light curtain is installed at the entrance of the safety fence assembly.

[0010] The collaborative robot is installed on the top of the equipment body;

[0011] The suction cup assembly is fixed to the end effector of the collaborative robot by bolts, ensuring that the suction cup plane is perpendicular to the motion trajectory of the collaborative robot;

[0012] The automatic riveting machine is installed vertically in the workspace and located on one side of the equipment body.

[0013] As a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the device body includes a body frame, a robot fixing plate, and frame support feet. The body frame is welded from Q235 steel and the surface is treated with RAL7035 powder coating. The levelness error of the body frame is ≤0.2mm / m. There are four frame support feet, which are arranged on opposite sides at the lower ends of the two sides of the body frame. The frame support feet are welded to the body frame. The robot fixing plate is welded to the top of the body frame, and the surface of the robot fixing plate has reserved robot mounting positions.

[0014] As a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, an air source treatment device, a power switch and a cooling fan are also installed on the side wall of the body frame.

[0015] As a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the end of the collaborative robot is provided with a flange and is fixedly connected to the robot mounting plate by bolts through the flange.

[0016] As a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the loading workbench includes a table surface, a through-beam sensor bracket, an inclined workbench frame, and a foolproof positioning block. The table surface is made of aluminum alloy and is fixedly installed on the inclined workbench frame. Several sets of foolproof positioning blocks are provided, and a positioning pin is provided on the back of the foolproof positioning block and is embedded and connected to the table surface through the positioning pin. The foolproof positioning block is made of white POM block, and a through-beam sensor is installed on the through-beam sensor bracket.

[0017] As a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the suction cup assembly includes a vacuum suction cup, a flange, a suction cup mounting plate, a vacuum generator, and a pressure detection unit. A total of eight vacuum suction cups are provided and are distributed in a rectangular pattern on the suction cup mounting plate. The flange, vacuum generator, and pressure detection unit are all fixedly installed on the back of the suction cup mounting plate, and the end of the flange is connected to the collaborative robot.

[0018] As a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the electrical control cabinet has a built-in PLC controller and a robot control cabinet, and the electrical control cabinet has an external robot teach pendant.

[0019] As a further preferred embodiment of the present invention, the input terminal of the PLC controller is connected to the signal output terminal of the through-beam sensor, the pressure detection unit, and the safety light curtain, respectively, for feedback on the shelf's position status, adsorption status, and personnel intrusion status. The output terminal of the PLC controller is connected to the collaborative robot servo driver, the vacuum generator, the riveting machine control terminal, and the equipment emergency stop system, respectively.

[0020] (III) Beneficial Effects

[0021] This invention provides a semi-automatic riveting rack workstation. It has the following beneficial effects:

[0022] 1. Significantly improved riveting accuracy and stable, controllable product quality: This invention uses the IIMT-CR20 collaborative robot with preset coordinate positioning to achieve a riveting point alignment accuracy of ≤0.25mm. Compared with the existing manual alignment based on vision and experience (usually with an error of ≥2mm), the accuracy is improved by more than 8 times. This effectively avoids problems such as riveting point offset and misalignment, ensures uniform strength of the riveted structure of the shelf, significantly improves the stability and service life of the shelf products, and reduces the rework rate caused by riveting quality problems.

[0023] 2. Comprehensive and reliable safety protection, eliminating potential safety hazards: This invention utilizes a collaborative protection design between fence components and safety light curtains. The fence forms a physical protective barrier, and the safety light curtain has a response time of ≤10ms, enabling real-time detection of personnel entering dangerous areas. Once an anomaly is detected, it immediately links with the PLC in the electrical control cabinet, cutting off the power and instructing the equipment to stop. This completely changes the existing technology where operators work close to the riveting machine, fundamentally eliminating mechanical injury accidents and ensuring the personal safety of operators.

[0024] 3. Significantly reduced labor intensity and greatly improved production efficiency: This invention replaces manual lifting and adjusting of shelves with collaborative robots. The robots can smoothly grasp shelves weighing less than 15kg, completely avoiding the laborious problem of manually lifting shelves weighing more than 10kg, and greatly reducing the labor intensity of operators. At the same time, the robot's riveting speed can reach 130-150 seconds / piece, which is more than 50% more efficient than the existing manual operation (average about 300 seconds / piece). It can adapt to the needs of large-scale mass production and effectively improve the company's production capacity.

[0025] 4. Strong compatibility and adaptability to multi-specification production needs: The feeding workbench of this invention is equipped with a positioning block that can be quickly switched. The pin hole positioning structure enables precise positioning of two different specifications of shelves. Production switching between different specifications of shelves can be completed without replacing the entire workbench. Compared with the existing single-specification adaptable equipment, it improves the versatility of the equipment and reduces the equipment investment cost for enterprises to produce multiple specifications.

[0026] 5. The causal relationship between the technical solution and the beneficial effects is clear: The above-mentioned beneficial effects are all directly supported by the core technical solution. For example, the improved accuracy comes from the robot's high-precision positioning capability, the safety guarantee comes from the linkage design of the safety light curtain and the electronic control system, and the efficiency improvement comes from the robot's automated operation mode. The effects are synergistic with each other and comprehensively solve the core defects of the existing technology. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is an overall structural diagram of the semi-automatic riveting rack workstation described in this invention;

[0028] Figure 2 This is a structural diagram of the loading workbench described in this invention;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a structural diagram of the device body described in this invention;

[0030] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of the suction cup assembly described in this invention.

[0031] In the diagram: 1. Automatic riveting machine; 2. Suction cup assembly; 3. Collaborative robot; 4. Loading workbench; 5. Equipment body; 6. Unloading workbench; 7. Safety fence assembly; 8. Inclined workbench frame; 9. Foolproof positioning block; 10. Through-beam sensor bracket; 11. Power switch; 12. Air source treatment component; 13. Cooling fan; 14. Robot mounting plate; 15. Body frame; 16. Frame support legs; 17. Vacuum suction cup; 18. Flange; 19. Suction cup mounting plate. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0033] Please see Figure 1-4 This invention provides a technical solution: a semi-automatic riveting rack workstation, including a machine body 5, an automatic riveting machine 1, a suction cup assembly 2, a collaborative robot 3, a loading workbench 4, a unloading workbench 6, and a safety fence assembly 7. The machine body 5 is fixed to a flat ground by expansion bolts, providing an installation reference for each component. It adopts a welded steel structure to ensure overall rigidity. The machine body 5 houses an electrical control cabinet; the cabinet contains a PLC controller, servo driver, relays, and a human-machine interface touchscreen, used to receive signals from various sensors, control the robot and riveting machine's movements, and simultaneously monitor the equipment's operating status and set parameters.

[0034] The loading workbench 4 and unloading workbench 6 have the same structure and are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the equipment body 5. Fixed to one side of the equipment body 5, the workbench is equipped with a positioning block that can be quickly switched to adapt to two different specifications of shelves. The positioning block adopts a pin hole positioning structure to ensure that the initial position of the shelf is accurate when manually loading. The workbench is integrated with a through-beam sensor to detect whether the shelf is in place and send a signal to the electrical control cabinet.

[0035] Safety fence component 7 is formed by welding square steel, creating a closed working space inside. A safety light curtain is installed at the entrance of safety fence component 7. The fence component surrounds the equipment's movement area. The safety light curtains are installed at the fence entrance and near the loading / unloading operation stations, and are linked with the electrical control cabinet to detect in real time whether personnel have entered the danger zone. The fence is made of 50mm×50mm square tubing, 2000mm high, and the safety light curtains are Keyence GL-VM60HP, with a protection height of 1200mm, a spacing of 20mm, a response time ≤10ms, and a Class IV safety level.

[0036] Collaborative robot 3 is mounted on top of the equipment body 5; the IIMT-CR20 model collaborative robot 3 is selected, which has 6 degrees of freedom, a rated load of 20kg, a repeatability of ±0.05mm, a maximum motion radius of 1400mm, is equipped with a precision force feedback sensor, supports drag-and-drop teaching function, and is powered by AC220V.

[0037] The suction cup assembly 2 is bolted to the end effector of the collaborative robot 3, ensuring that the suction cup plane is perpendicular to the movement trajectory of the collaborative robot 3. Mounted on the end effector of the collaborative robot 3, it includes a vacuum generator, the suction cup body, and a pressure detection unit. It is used to stably pick up and hold the shelves to be processed / already processed, ensuring that the shelves do not shift or get damaged during the gripping process. The pressure detection unit can provide real-time feedback on the suction status, ensuring reliable gripping.

[0038] The automatic riveting machine 1 is vertically installed in the workspace and located on one side of the equipment body 5. A pneumatic riveting machine (model: QY8-500C) is selected, with a rated riveting force of 1-8 tons, infinitely adjustable, a riveting stroke of 100mm, and a working air pressure of 0.6-0.8MPa.

[0039] Further improvements include a body frame 15, a robot mounting plate 14, and frame support legs 16. The body frame 15 is welded from Q235 steel and its surface is treated with RAL7035 powder coating. The levelness error of the body frame 15 is ≤0.2mm / m. There are four frame support legs 16, which are located on opposite sides of the lower end of the body frame 15. The frame support legs 16 are welded to the body frame 15. The robot mounting plate 14 is welded to the top of the body frame 15, and the surface of the robot mounting plate 14 has reserved robot mounting positions.

[0040] Further improvements include the installation of an air source treatment unit 12, a power switch 11, and a cooling fan 13 on the side wall of the body frame 15.

[0041] Further improvements include a flange at the end of the collaborative robot 3, which is fixedly connected to the robot mounting plate 14 via bolts.

[0042] Further improvements include a loading workbench 4 comprising a tabletop, a through-beam sensor bracket 10, a tilting workbench frame 8, and a foolproof positioning block 9. The tabletop is made of aluminum alloy and is fixedly mounted on the tilting workbench frame 8. Several sets of foolproof positioning blocks 9 are provided, and each block has a positioning pin on its back, which is then embedded in the tabletop. The foolproof positioning blocks 9 are white POM blocks. Through-beam sensors are mounted on the through-beam sensor bracket 10. The through-beam sensors are Omron E3Z-D62 type, with a detection distance of 0-5m and a response time ≤1ms.

[0043] Further improvements include the suction cup assembly 2 comprising vacuum suction cups 17, flanges 18, suction cup mounting plate 19, a vacuum generator, and a pressure detection unit. Eight vacuum suction cups 17 are arranged in a rectangular pattern on the suction cup mounting plate 19. The flanges 18, vacuum generator, and pressure detection unit are all fixedly mounted on the back of the suction cup mounting plate 19. The end of the flanges 18 is connected to the collaborative robot 3. The vacuum suction cups 17 are model ZP3E-T100UMNJB50, equipped with a VP50 vacuum generator. The number of suction cups is eight (rectangularly distributed), the rated adsorption pressure is -0.6MPa, and the pressure detection unit is model SMC ZSE30A with a detection accuracy of ±0.01MPa.

[0044] Further improvements include a built-in PLC controller and robot control cabinet in the electrical control cabinet, and an external robot teach pendant in the electrical control cabinet.

[0045] Further improvements include connecting the PLC controller's input terminals to the signal output terminals of the through-beam sensor, pressure detection unit, and safety light curtain, respectively, to provide feedback on the shelf's positioning status, adsorption status, and personnel intrusion status. The PLC controller's output terminals are connected to the collaborative robot's servo driver, vacuum generator, riveting machine control terminal, and equipment emergency stop system, respectively. This achieves closed-loop control of "sensor detection - controller judgment - actuator action." The human-machine interface touchscreen communicates bidirectionally with the PLC controller, enabling real-time display of equipment operating status, setting of operational parameters (such as riveting point coordinates and robot movement speed), and alarm prompts.

[0046] Equipment assembly steps:

[0047] 1. Foundation fixing: Fix the equipment body 5 to a flat ground with expansion bolts to ensure that the levelness error of the body is ≤0.2mm / m, so as to avoid vibration during equipment operation that affects accuracy;

[0048] 2. Core Component Installation: Secure the IIMT-CR20 collaborative robot 3 to the pre-installed mounting surface of the equipment body 5 using flange bolts 18, with the torque controlled at 35 N·m; secure the vacuum suction cup 17 assembly 2 to the robot's end effector using bolts, ensuring the suction cup plane is perpendicular to the robot's motion trajectory; symmetrically install the loading worktable 4 and unloading worktable 6 on both sides of the equipment body 5, ensuring the worktable surface matches the robot's motion radius; fix the electrical control cabinet to the side of the equipment body 5, ensuring good ventilation and easy operation.

[0049] 3. Safety component installation: Install fencing components around the equipment's movement area, and secure the fencing joints with bolts to ensure no gaps; install safety light curtains at the fencing entrance and outside the loading / unloading stations, and adjust the light curtain detection angle to ensure coverage of the entire hazardous area;

[0050] 4. Electrical Connection: According to the electrical schematic diagram, connect the signal output terminals of the through-beam sensor, vacuum pressure detection unit, and safety light curtain to the input terminals of the PLC controller; connect the PLC output terminals to the robot servo driver, vacuum generator, riveting machine control terminal, and emergency stop system respectively; connect the human-machine interface touch screen to the PLC to complete communication debugging;

[0051] 5. Piping connection: Connect the vacuum generator to the compressed air source, install the pressure regulating valve (adjust the pressure to 0.6-0.8MPa), and connect it to each vacuum suction cup 17 through the air pipe; connect the pneumatic pipeline of the riveting machine to ensure good airtightness.

[0052] Working principle:

[0053] 1. Preliminary Preparation: Connect the main power supply of the equipment (AC220V), turn on the power switch 11 of the electrical control cabinet, and enter the parameter setting interface through the human-machine interface touch screen. According to the specifications of the shelf to be processed (e.g., specification A: 1260mm×409mm shelf), call the preset riveting point coordinate parameters (entered in advance through robot drag-and-drop teaching), set the robot movement speed to 500mm / s, the suction pressure of vacuum suction cup 17 to -0.6MPa, the riveting machine pressing pressure to 2 tons, and the riveting time to 2s; check whether the safety light curtain and the through-beam sensor are working properly, and ensure that the fence is not damaged;

[0054] 2. Loading and Inspection Stage: The operator places the shelf to be processed smoothly into the positioning block of the loading workbench 4 from outside the fence, ensuring that the shelf and the positioning pin hole are precisely matched (without shaking); after the through-beam sensor detects that the shelf is in place, it sends a "loading complete" signal to the PLC controller, and the touch screen displays "loading ready";

[0055] 3. Grasping and Riveting Stage: After receiving the signal, the PLC controller instructs the collaborative robot 3 to move the vacuum suction cup 17 component 2 to a position 100mm above the shelf, slowly descend to the shelf surface, and start the vacuum generator. When the pressure detection unit detects that the adsorption pressure reaches -0.6MPa and stabilizes for 3 seconds, it sends a "reliable adsorption" signal. The robot then moves the shelf smoothly to a safe height (500mm) and above the riveting machine's working position. The shelf's posture is adjusted according to preset coordinates, precisely aligning the first riveting point with the riveting head of the riveting machine (alignment accuracy is ensured by the robot's repeated positioning accuracy). The PLC instructs the riveting machine to start and complete the riveting of the first point (riveting time 1s). The riveting machine sends a "riveting complete" signal. The robot then moves the shelf to the next preset riveting point, repeating the above riveting action until all riveting points are completed (e.g., shelf A has 20 riveting points).

[0056] 4. Unloading Stage: After all riveting points are completed, the robot moves the processed shelf to above the unloading workbench 6, slowly descends to the workbench surface, shuts off the vacuum generator, and releases the shelf; after the pressure detection unit sends a "adsorption release" signal, the robot rises and returns to the waiting position (initial position); the touch screen displays "unloading ready", and the operator removes the processed shelf from outside the fence, completing a single operation cycle;

[0057] 5. Cyclic operation: Repeat steps 2-4 to achieve continuous batch riveting operations.

[0058] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered illustrative and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

[0059] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A semi-automatic riveting rack workstation, comprising a machine body (5), an automatic riveting machine (1), a suction cup assembly (2), a collaborative robot (3), a loading workbench (4), a unloading workbench (6), and a safety fence assembly (7), characterized in that: The equipment body (5) is fixed to a flat ground by expansion bolts, and an electrical control cabinet is installed inside the equipment body (5); The loading workbench (4) and unloading workbench (6) have the same structure and are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the equipment body (5); The safety fence assembly (7) is formed by welding square steel, and the inner side of the safety fence assembly (7) forms a closed working space. A safety light curtain is installed at the entrance of the safety fence assembly (7). The collaborative robot (3) is mounted on top of the equipment body (5); The suction cup assembly (2) is fixed to the end effector of the collaborative robot (3) by bolts, ensuring that the suction cup plane is perpendicular to the motion trajectory of the collaborative robot (3); The automatic riveting machine (1) is installed vertically in the workspace and located on one side of the equipment body (5).

2. The semi-automatic riveting rack workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The equipment body (5) includes a body frame (15), a robot fixing plate (14), and frame support feet (16). The body frame (15) is welded from Q235 steel and the surface is treated with RAL7035 powder coating. The levelness error of the body frame (15) is ≤0.2mm / m. There are four frame support feet (16) in total, which are located on opposite sides of the lower end of the two sides of the body frame (15). The frame support feet (16) are welded to the body frame (15). The robot fixing plate (14) is welded to the top of the body frame (15). The surface of the robot fixing plate (14) has reserved robot mounting positions.

3. The semi-automatic riveting rack workstation according to claim 2, characterized in that: The side wall of the body frame (15) is also equipped with an air source treatment unit (12), a power switch (11) and a cooling fan (13).

4. The semi-automatic riveting rack workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The collaborative robot (3) has a flange at its end and is fixedly connected to the robot mounting plate (14) by bolts through the flange.

5. The semi-automatic riveting rack workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The loading workbench (4) includes a table surface, a through-beam sensor bracket (10), an inclined workbench frame (8), and a foolproof positioning block (9). The table surface is made of aluminum alloy and is fixedly installed on the inclined workbench frame (8). Several sets of foolproof positioning blocks (9) are provided, and the back of the foolproof positioning block (9) is provided with a positioning pin and is connected to the table surface by the positioning pin. The foolproof positioning block (9) is made of white POM block. Through-beam sensors are installed on the through-beam sensor bracket (10).

6. The semi-automatic riveting rack workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The suction cup assembly (2) includes a vacuum suction cup (17), a flange (18), a suction cup mounting plate (19), a vacuum generator, and a pressure detection unit. There are a total of 8 vacuum suction cups (17) arranged in a rectangular pattern on the suction cup mounting plate (19). The flange (18), vacuum generator, and pressure detection unit are all fixedly installed on the back of the suction cup mounting plate (19). The end of the flange (18) is connected to the collaborative robot (3).

7. The semi-automatic riveting rack workstation according to claim 1, characterized in that: The electrical control cabinet has a built-in PLC controller and a robot control cabinet, and an external robot teach pendant.

8. The semi-automatic riveting rack workstation according to claim 7, characterized in that: The input terminals of the PLC controller are connected to the signal output terminals of the through-beam sensor, the pressure detection unit, and the safety light curtain, respectively, to provide feedback on the shelf's position status, adsorption status, and personnel intrusion status. The output terminals of the PLC controller are connected to the servo driver of the collaborative robot (3), the vacuum generator, the riveting machine control terminal, and the equipment emergency stop system, respectively.

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